Ultimate Slow Cooker by Sally Wise, RRP $29.99, is out now through ABC Books.

What is your first memory of food?

My Nan's kitchen. At age 7, she used to let me cook with her every Saturday morning, pikelets and lovely light sponge cakes filled with a raspberry jam flavoured whipped cream. She introduced me to coffee (putrid I thought), which she drank black, sweet and strong.

What is your favourite dish? Why?

From the family favourite perspective - paprika chicken. It is a recipe I developed decades ago - simple but scrumptious. It entails merely a simple rub of paprika, sugar, salt, pepper and dried oregano. It can be used on a whole chicken or (skin on) portions. While baking, the rub combines with the chicken juices to provide the making for the most delicious gravy or jus, while at the same time crisping the skin marvellously.

Why? It has wonderful memories of cooking alongside our six children in the kitchen when they were small. The dish was a favourite with everyone, and the chicken is even delicious served cold.

Name a career highlight in food.

The regular, ongoing segment on ABC radio Tasmania - the Jams and Preserves talkback. It is such fun with its inherent interaction with listeners and has provided a springboard for others things.

It has, for instance, led to the opportunity for me to write 15 cookbooks, which allows me to each day indulge my passion for cooking with the best of seasonal produce. This in turn has expanded further into my opening the Sally Wise Cooking School here in the Derwent Valley in Tasmania, a life-long dream realised.

RECIPES:

The tangy Mediterranean flavours of sumac spice predominate in this first recipe. These are enhanced by citrus and honey to make a spectacular and unusual pot roast-style dish. I have found that the nicest accompaniment to this dish, albeit a little cross-cultural, is couscous.

and baked lemon ricotta and ginger cheesecakes, by Sally Wise.Contributed

Sumac pork with citrus sauce

For a 3.5-4.5 litre slow cooker. Serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS:

1.2-1.4kg boned pork shoulder, visible external fat removed

3 tsp cornflour mixed to a paste with 1½ tbs cold water

prepared couscous, to serve

green salad, to serve

FOR THE CITRUS SAUCE: 3 tsp ground sumac

1 tbs paprika

½ tsp onion powder

½ tsp garlic powder

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp ground cumin

½ tsp ground cardamom

finely grated rind and juice of 1 small lime

finely grated rind and juice of 1 small lemon

finely grated rind and juice of 1 orange

2 tsp sugar

2 tsp maple syrup or mild-flavoured honey

2 tsp redcurrant jelly

½ tsp salt

1 tbs tomato sauce

METHOD: To make the citrus sauce, mix all the ingredients together.

Place the pork in the slow cooker and pour over the sauce.

Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours or low for 8-9 hours or until the pork is tender.

Remove from cooker and keep warm. If necessary, remove the lid and turn the cooker to high for 10 minutes, then stir in some or all of the cornflour paste.

Cook, uncovered, for 5 minutes more, adding salt and pepper to taste.

Skim off any fat from the surface.

Serve the pork sliced with couscous and a green salad.

NOTE: Any leftover pork makes a delicious sandwich filling, combined with other salad ingredients or a tasty condiment such as peach chutney.

THE rich, earthy tones of beetroot are matched with lovely light cream cheese dumplings in this delicious and colourful soup.